Monday, February 27, 2017

Cardinal Müller: "Small Left and Right Factions" -- "Announce the Gospel Without Betraying"

(Rome) There have been rumors for weeks that Cardinal Gerhard Müller could be replaced by Pope Francis as Prefect of the Congregation for Doctrine and the Faith. The former bishop of Regensburg was appointed by Benedict XVI. eight months before his unexpected resignation, to Rome. He still tries to form a counterpoise to the Pope's line by means of written and oral statements,  at present mainly on the question of the admission of remarried divorced persons to the sacraments.

Personally, the cardinal vehemently denies this, as in the interview published yesterday by La Repubblica.

The balancing act between the task of guarding the faith, on the one hand, and the fact that he exercises  this task only as an employee and an assistant on behalf of the pope.

"Let there be no hesitation to bring sexual abuse to the authorities"

In yesterday's Sunday edition, Paolo Rodari published a detailed interview with Cardinal Müller. As Vaticanist of the daily Il Foglio, Rodari accompanied the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI. With the election of Pope Franziskus, he moved to La Repubblica in 2013, the "only" daily newspaper, which Francis regularly reads according to his own statement. Since then it has been quieter for the journalist.

In the opening credits of the conversation, Rodari writes that Cardinal Müller "denies the vernacular, which wants to see him as a  'right' guardian against the 'left' openings of Francis. The occasion for the interview was the publication of the Italian edition of Cardinal Müller's book "The Message of Hope", according to English title. The book was originally published in the spring of 2016 in Spanish.

The Cardinal reaffirmed the "zero tolerance" for pedophile priests. He urged the bishops to urge such priests to self-report and to bring the offenders to the authorities themselves. He also called minors themselves to bring cases to the public authorities.

"Priests are citizens like everyone else. If they commit a crime, they are to be held responsible for civil and criminal law. This is the only way to avoid a repeat of the abuse. "

Is there opposition to Pope Francis in the Roman Curia?

Rodari: Does Francis have adversaries in the Roman Curia?

Cardinal Müller: All Cardinals have studied theology, they all know the doctrine of the papacy and the episcopate. We are competent priests who know the mission of the Pope and its importance for all. We live with Francis an affective and effective collegiality. Unfortunately, some media are more aware of the legitimate differences of opinion and not the great harmony. The pope is the 266th successor of Peter, and everyone, including him, has his own history. This individuality is the form in which everyone fulfills their mission. Francis has the peculiarity of coming from an outside European continent. This difference is precious to us.

Rodari: Especially in the Internet, there is no lack of those who are able to oppose what you say about the doctrine of the faith ...

Cardinal Müller: These are small right and left-wing factions, which use me and the pope to argue among themselves. These are ideological positions that I do not share. By the way, soon a book of mine will be published about the pope and the papacy. [The German original edition was published on 20 February ] We all serve the work of the Pope. We work together to serve its mission.

Rodari: Do you think that with regards Communion, Francis is taking a new step for the remarried divorced?

Cardinal Müller: We have the message of Jesus and the Bible, which speaks clear words to the foundation of marriage in God's salvation. The sociological conditions are changing, but one must also bear in mind that there are different anthropologies which ours, based on the Word of God, do not accept. The Gospel is to be proclaimed without betraying it. With the sermon and testimony of Christian life, Francis wants the people of God to feel the closeness of the Good Shepherd.

Rodari: What does it mean that Mercy lives?

Cardinal Müller: God is not a cold lawgiver, but a present, near God. Already in the Old Testament, God had proved his closeness to his people by freeing them from slavery and giving them milk and honey. Jesus was merciful towards the needy, the sick ... Living mercy means to live the Gospel all the way.

Rodari: Is there the danger that the insistence on love forces the circumstance into the background that the truth has a name for the faithful: Jesus Christ?

Cardinal Müller: There is no contradiction. God is the creator of all men and loves all. Everyone has an identity and is to be respected. Jesus is not pushed into the background. The insistence on love is rather to speak the language of Jesus. Recently, Francis has met the representatives of other cultures. He said to them, "Even if we do not speak the same language, we can understand each other because we speak the language of the Holy Spirit, love."

Text / translation: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: La Repubblica (screenshot)
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

..."Even if we do not speak the same language, we can understand each other because we speak the language of the Holy Spirit, love."
Those who do not accept Jesus as Son of only God, cannot speak or understand the language of Holy Spirit. As we know:
"Et in Spíritum Sanctum, Dóminum et vivificántem:
Qui ex Patre Filióque procédit.
Qui cum Patre et Fílio simul adorátur et conglorificátur:
Qui locútus est per prophétas."
"And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spake by the prophets."
No need to say about those who believes and worship some kind of spirits who comes from budha, krishna, some allah who has NO son...!
There is only one Triune God. There is only One True Spirit, who is from that Godly Trinity.

"‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” (John 1,33b-34)

"that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." (John 5,23b-24)

It's getting even worse for unbelievers, who willingly stays in their disbelief and their heresy:
"Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father." (1 John 2,22-24)
Ivan

Anonymous said...

Besides, card. Muller said this so (if we can trust that each of his words is truthfully written here):
"Francis has met the representatives of other cultures."
There we have it again: using of the language of our enemies. There must be no talk about 'cultures'. But about the (wrong) religions. The 'cultures' of the entire world should be able to hear, and to learn from who else, than from Christians,- about the one and only true Faith.
But no,... no, no,...(!) We all, especially we Catholics, should be so 'open' today, and start to believe to all those who are preaching some new gospel which is certainly not the Gospel from the beginning!?
I am really sick of them all. As of the heretics as well as of the lukewarm ones!
Brothers and sisters in Christ, remain faithful!
Ivan

Anonymous said...

Once Muller is replaced,there will be no more authoritative orthodox voice from the top of the Curia.Then it will be clear where we stand on the truth in the Vatican. Luka

Tancred said...

I wish I could thumb down these comments. He's not the only orthodox voice in the Vatican, Mr. Crybaby.

JBQ said...

The good cardinal is trying to "walk a tightrope". If he does not fall off on either side, then he will be pushed. Cardinal Tagle from the Phillipines is waiting to take his place. This is clever politics in an attempt to reach out to China. However, just when is the Holy Father going to use Scripture as a basis for his maneuvering? He has already been quoted with what can be construed with his belief that Jesus Christ has been outdated and not relevant to modern times. Holy Smoke!

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